U.S. District Judge Martin Feldman this afternoon sentenced former New Orleans police officer and Danziger Bridge shooter Ignatius Hills -- who admitted guilt and testified for the government against five other officers at trial this summer -- to six years and six months in prison. That was the maximum sentence recommended by the federal guidelines for the crimes to which he pleaded: misprision of a felony and conspiracy to obstruct justice.

Ellis Lucia, The Times-Picayune archiveIgnatius Hills

Federal probation officers had recommended a sentence of six years. But prosecutors on Tuesday asked Feldman for sentence Hills to four years instead, saying that his cooperation was valuable to the government.

Police shot six people on the bridge a week after Hurricane Katrina, killing two of them. Those killed were James Brissette, 17, and Ronald Madison, 40.

Hills fired his weapon at a fleeing teenager, but missed. He also admitted participating in a years-long cover-up of the shootings that finally unraveled in late 2009.

Feldman imposed the sentence after a member of the Madison family gave a statement thanking the officer for coming forward, but noting that the family wished he had had the strength to come forward much earlier.

Hills apologized to the Madison family and said he was ashamed to have been part of such a dark chapter in the city's history. He is scheduled to surrender to federal authorities on Oct. 17

In a filing this week, prosecutor Barbara "Bobbi" Bernstein acknowledged the gravity of Hills' actions on the bridge. But she wrote that Hills "eventually accepted responsibility for his actions" and said his testimony was helpful in convicting the five officers who went to trial.

Earlier today, U.S. District Judge Sarah Vance refused a request from prosecutors to reduce the sentence of former officer Michael Hunter from eight years to five years.